Department for Transport

Railways

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to make rail travel more attractive.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, published May 2021, contains a number of passenger-focused reforms that will bring in improved services and encourage the use of rail. The Spending Review 2021 confirmed £5.7bn of funding over three years to support essential rail services, and will see Government investing £360m in modernising ticketing and retailing systems, delivering a major overhaul to the way in which rail travel is bought and paid for. We are also working with the rail industry to develop a number of recovery initiatives, for example we have introduced new flexible season tickets across England this year to help encourage passengers to return to the railway.

Railways: Fares

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of extending the ‘off peak’ period for rail travel to Fridays to increase the number of people travelling for leisure.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: We are working with the rail industry to develop a number of recovery initiatives, focused on restoring passenger confidence in travelling by rail. This includes assessing a variety of options that can be deployed at a time that would maximise their impact.

Railways: Season Tickets

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, given the decreased demand for rail travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, what plans they have, if any, to change flexible season tickets to increase uptake.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department will conduct a 12 month review of the flexible season tickets to evaluate their impact. We expect the review to report in the Summer of 2022.

Railways

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the most recent rise in rail fares affected profits from ticket sales; and what assessment, if any, they have made of recent changes in demand for rail travel.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: No assessment has been made of the proportion of industry revenues which can be attributable to the March 2021 fares changes. While fares changes impact total industry revenue there are also a number of other elements that impact it, including most notably at the moment the pandemic’s impact on passenger travel. Passenger demand fell during the pandemic and is slowly recovering. We are working with the rail industry to develop a number of recovery initiatives, for example we have introduced new flexible season tickets across England this year to help encourage passengers to return to the railway.

Department of Health and Social Care

Catheters: Urinary Tract Infections

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for requiring Integrated Care Systems to record the number of catheter associated urinary tract infections acquired by patients while in (1) hospital, and (2) community care facilities.

Lord Kamall: The UK Health Security Agency undertakes surveillance of bloodstream infections in hospital and community care facilities. This includes information on the infection source through National Health Service acute trusts, which will be part of integrated care systems, reporting infection cases. If a urinary source is identified, further information is requested around urinary catheterisation.

NHS and Social Services

Baroness Cavendish of Little Venice: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to establish a long-term workforce strategy for the NHS and social care; and what plans they have to present an annual report to both Houses on (1) health, and (2) care.

Lord Kamall: In July 2021, we commissioned Health Education England (HEE) to review long term strategic trends for the health and social care workforce. This will ensure we have the right, skills, values and behaviours across NHS and social care for the next 15 years. This will also include registered professionals working in social care.The Health and Care Bill includes a statutory duty on the Secretary of State to produce a report describing the system in place for assessing and meeting the workforce needs of the health system in England. NHS England and HEE must assist in the preparation of this report if requested to do so by the Secretary of State. This report is required to be published at a minimum of every five years.The Government recently announced at least £500 million over three years to support and develop the social care workforce, fund initiatives to support mental health and wellbeing and introduce further reforms to improve recruitment. We will work with care users, providers and other partners to develop more detail on the plans for reform of adult social care and publish further detail in a white paper for reform later this year.

Gambling: Health Services

Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people have (1) been referred, and (2) self-referred, to NHS gambling addiction services in England in each of the last five years.

Lord Kamall: The information requested is not held centrally.

Gambling

Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were hospitalised in England as a result of gambling in each of the last five years.

Lord Kamall: The information is not available in the format requested. There are a very small number of patients identified as being admitted to hospital through gambling-related diagnoses as the primary diagnosis which NHS Digital publishes in an online format.However, gambling will often be recorded as a secondary diagnosis which may be a contributory factor towards another diagnosis. In many cases patients will present in through accident and emergency settings. However, data on such patients is not collected in the format requested.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the local variations in delays to people in all eligible groups receiving the COVID-19 booster vaccination.

Lord Kamall: The Department and the National Health Service continue to monitor the pace of the COVID-19 booster vaccination programme and work closely with regional teams to ensure those eligible have timely access to appointments. The NHS assesses any potential delays to the programme, including between different local areas.The National Booking Service has now been updated to allow those eligible to pre-book their booster vaccination five months after their second dose. As of 13 November 2021, more than 12.6 million people in the United Kingdom had received their booster vaccination or third dose, helping to ensure the vital protection is maintained over the winter months.

Department for Education

Children: Protection

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any potential child protection issues as a result of primary school age children being put in unregistered schools.

Baroness Barran: The Department for Education regulates independent schools in England. Independent schools must be registered with the department, are required to meet the independent school standards (ISS), are subject to regular inspection to check that they are meeting the ISS and can be subject to regulatory and enforcement action where they fail to meet the ISS. The ISS require independent schools to have effective safeguarding and child protection arrangements.Unregistered independent schools are unregulated and the department has no assurance that they are meeting the independent school standards. They therefore represent a significant safeguarding risk.Conducting an unregistered independent school is a criminal offence under section 96 of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The Department for Education, Ofsted and the Crown Prosecution Service work together to investigate suspected unregistered independent schools and, where appropriate, prosecute those found operating them in line with department’s policy statement. The policy statement, 'Prosecuting unregistered independent schools', is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulating-independent-schools.Where a suspected unregistered independent school is investigated and Ofsted find safeguarding, child protection or health and safety risks, other statutory authorities are informed to ensure they can also take appropriate action.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Peers

Lord Truscott: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether there has been consideration of a prohibition on Members of the House of Lords (1) acting as political or parliamentary consultants, and (2) working for lobbying firms.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: There has been extensive consideration of this issue over many years. As long ago as 2009 the Leader’s Group on the Code of Conduct proposed the prohibition of parliamentary consultancies, and this was incorporated in the Guide to the Code of Conduct that was agreed by the House on 17 March 2010. Since that time the rules on consultancies and lobbying have been regularly updated, following recommendations by the responsible committees. Paragraphs 9(c) and 9(d) of the Code of Conduct say that members:must never accept or agree to accept any financial inducement as an incentive or reward for exercising parliamentary influence; andmust not seek to profit from membership of the House by accepting or agreeing to accept payment or other incentive or reward in return for providing parliamentary advice or services. The details of these restrictions are set out in more detail from paragraph 15 onwards in the Guide to the Code of Conduct. Members may also seek the advice of the Registrar of Lords’ Interests. The latest edition of the Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Code was ordered to be published on 28 October 2021 and is available on the parliamentary website and from the Printed Paper Office.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: Australia and New Zealand

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Grimstone of Boscobel on 4 November (HL3304), when the Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC) will advise on the free trade agreements negotiated between the UK and (1) Australia, and (2) New Zealand; and whether the TAC will provide their advice before the agreements are finalised.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: As agreed during the passage of the Trade Act 2021, the Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC) will consider whether the relevant provisions of an FTA are consistent with the maintenance of UK levels of statutory protection in relation to: animal and plant life or health; animal welfare; and the environment. In line with this, the TAC will consider the agreement after it has been signed but prior to it be laid before Parliament under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act. The TAC will not advise on policy or live negotiations. The TAC will commence its scrutiny of the free trade agreements negotiated between the UK and (1) Australia, and (2) New Zealand following signature of these agreements. The TAC will then have a minimum of three months to prepare its advice.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Jerusalem: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations, if any, they have made to the government of Israel about the future status of Palestinians living in East Jerusalem, following the Supreme Court of Israel ruling that Palestinians living they will have “protected tenant” status for no more than two further generations.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Supreme Court 'protected tenant' proposal relates to an eviction case against four families resident in Sheikh Jarrah. We remain opposed to the eviction of Palestinians from their homes, and regularly make clear our concerns to the Israeli authorities and the Municipality of Jerusalem, both bilaterally and in co-operation with like-minded diplomatic partners. The Fourth Geneva Convention, which applies to all occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, prohibits demolitions or forced evictions absent military necessity. Our position on the status of Jerusalem has not changed: it should be determined in a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states.

Syria: Sanctions

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they removed five Syrian individuals from the UK Sanctions List on 30 September.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Following a routine review of the UK's autonomous sanctions, on 30 September 2021 the FCDO revoked the designation of five Syrian individuals, as the listings were no longer compliant with regulations. This does not signal a change in our Syria policy and is not a sign of rapprochement with the regime.

Libya: IRA

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to obtain the support of the government of Libya in securing compensation for UK victims of Irish Republican Army terrorism sponsored by former Libyan president Colonel Muammar Gadaffi.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government reiterates its profound sympathy for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored Irish Republican Army (IRA) terrorism and indeed for all victims of the Troubles. As set out in the 23 March Written Ministerial Statement: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-03-23/hcws874, providing compensation for the actions of the Qadhafi regime, separate from the UK-funded support that has already been made available for victims of the Troubles, is the responsibility of the Libyan State. The UK continues to press the Libyan authorities to address the Libyan State's historic responsibility for the Qadhafi regime's support for the IRA, and has raised this issue at the highest levels of the Libyan Government.

Libya: Freezing of Assets

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the decision by the government of Malta to unfreeze Maltese bank accounts held by Libyan citizens, and (2) whether that decision is consistent with United Nations' resolutions on Libyan frozen assets.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970 (2011) decided that all Member States shall freeze assets owned or controlled by individuals or entities listed by the Libya Sanctions Committee. The aim of the Libya asset freeze is to ensure that the frozen funds are preserved until such a time as they can be made available to, and for the benefit of, the people of Libya. Any amendments to the asset freeze will require consensus at the UN and will be judged against this goal.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: ThomasLloyd

Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their proposed investment of up to £25 million in the ThomasLloyd Energy Impact Asian renewable energy investment trust has been approved by the accounting officer of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: All investments made by Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) under the Mobilist programme to support Competition participants, including the ThomasLloyd Energy Impact Trust, are subject to prior review and approval by both FCDO's Finance and International Finance Division.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: ThomasLloyd

Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office launched a tender process beforeproposing aninvestment of up to £25 million in the ThomasLloyd Energy Impact Asian renewable energy investment trust.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The decision in principle to invest in the ThomasLloyd Energy Impact Trust is the outcome of an open competition. The 'Mobilising Institutional Capital in Public Markets' (MOBILIST) Competition was launched at a public event on 8th February 2021 and was publicised via HMG's website and through social media. All Expressions of Interest were subject to initial assessment and increasing levels of analysis and due diligence as the competition progressed. At each stage of the competition participants' proposals were evaluated against the same pre-defined selection criteria.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: ThomasLloyd

Lord Lamont of Lerwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they used in developing their proposal to invest up to £25 million in the ThomasLloyd Energy Impact Asian renewable energy investment trust; and whether those criteria included an assessment of the number of such trusts that are already established.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The ThomasLloyd Energy Impact Trust proposal was assessed against the following 'Mobilising Institutional Capital in Public Markets' (MOBILIST) Competition criteria: i) scalability; ii) replicability; iii) commercial viability; iv) additionality; v) feasibility; vi) credibility. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's assessment of the investment trust universe currently listed on the London market is that there are presently no products with exclusive exposure to renewables in lower-middle and low-income countries, such as those comprising the ThomasLloyd portfolio.

Armenia: Genocide

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to join the governments of the United States of America, Germany, France and Canada in formally recognising the Armenian Genocide of 1915–23.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The events of 1915-1916 were a tragic episode in the history of the Armenian people and they must never be forgotten. The UK Government of the day condemned the massacres and this Government fully endorses that view. It is the long-standing policy of the British Government that any judgement as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies.

China: Taiwan

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the United States of America about the defence of Taiwan following the statement on 21 October by President Biden that the United States has a "commitment" to defend Taiwan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Her Majesty's Government considers the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue. The UK Government is in regular contact with the US Government on our shared priorities. We underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait alongside the US and other partners in the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' communique in May and G7 Leaders' communique in June.

Syria: Politics and Government

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they recognise Bashar al-Assad as the head of the government of Syria.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK's position remains unchanged; the Assad regime has lost its legitimacy due to its atrocities against the Syrian people. Despite the military successes of the regime and its external supporters, we do not believe that Assad is capable of delivering a lasting peace in Syria. We firmly believe that United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254 offers a clear path out of the conflict which protects the rights of all Syrians, in which civil society, women and minorities must play a role. We remain committed to highlighting the appalling violations of international humanitarian law in Syria and to pursuing accountability for the most serious crimes.

Myanmar: Politics and Government

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in response to the report by the Foreign Affairs CommitteeThe UK Government's Response to the Myanmar Crisis, published on 16 July; and in particular the recommendation that the UK Government should increase (1) diplomatic, and (2) economic, pressure to reduce the violence committed against civilians in Burma.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is deeply concerned with the worsening situation in Myanmar. We continue to call publicly for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. In response to escalating violence in Chin and Sagaing, the UK convened the UN Security Council on 8 November. During that meeting we called on the military to exercise restraint and ensure the protection of civilians. On 15 October, the British Embassy in Yangon released a statement urging the military to end their campaign of violence and flagging our concern for communities, their livelihoods, property and places of worship.The UK has played a leading international role in coordinating targeted sanctions against the military regime. Since the coup, we have announced seven tranches of sanctions, which have targeted the junta's ruling body and its military leadership, as well as its key commercial interests. In addition, the UK's trade review has suspended trade promotion in Myanmar and strengthened advice to British businesses on avoiding exposure to the military. The UK is considering further targeted actions against the regime.

Myanmar: Politics and Government

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in response to the Foreign Affairs Committee reportThe UK Government’s Response to the Myanmar Crisis, published on 16 July; and in particular, the recommendation thatTatmadaw’s supply of arms are cut off in order to end their violence against civilians in Burma.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a longstanding supporter of an arms embargo on Myanmar. We are clear that countries should not sell arms to the Myanmar military. The UK helped secure and strengthen a comprehensive EU arms embargo on Myanmar following the 2017 Rohingya crisis. Since we left the EU, we have transitioned this into domestic law. We are working closely with partners to coordinate pressure on those who sell arms to the military, and have used our leadership role at the G7 and UN to this end. On 5 May, the UK secured a G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting Communiqué that committed G7 members to continue to prevent the supply of arms and technical assistance to the military. The G7 Leaders' Communiqué of 13 June reaffirmed G7 unity on pursuing additional measures should they prove necessary. On 18 June, the UK worked with partners to deliver a UN General Assembly Resolution which urged member states to prevent the flow of arms to Myanmar.

China: Taiwan

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with NATO partners about China's policy towards Taiwan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Her Majesty's Government considers the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue. The UK Government is in regular contact with like-minded partners on our shared priorities.

Abdul Jalil al-Singace

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed the imprisonment of activist Abduljalil Al Singace with the government of Bahrain; and if so, when was the most recent discussion.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We continue to monitor and raise the case of Dr Abduljalil al-Singace and others as necessary, with the Bahraini Government as well as with the oversight bodies.

Zuhair Ebrahim Jassim Abdullah Abas

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed the death sentence of Zuhair Ibrahim Jasim Abdullah with the government of Bahrain; and if so, when was the most recent discussion.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Ministers and our officials have consistently reiterated the UK's opposition to the use of the death penalty, in all circumstances, with the Bahraini Government.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Sewage: Waste Disposal

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to stipulate a reduction in the volume of sewage that water companies can pump into waterways.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Earlier this year the Government published a new draft set of strategic priorities for the water industry's financial regulator Ofwat. In this publication Government set out its expectation that water companies must take steps to "significantly reduce the frequency and volume of sewage discharges from storm overflows." The Environment Act then placed this direction on a statutory footing, setting a duty for water companies to achieve a progressive reduction in the adverse impacts of discharges from Storm Overflows. Defra intends to set out the level of ambition expected by this in due course.

Home Office

Immigration Controls: Biometrics

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government which countries' passport holders are able to use e-gates at UK borders when coming to the UK for short stays; what arrangements they have made to ensure that such people (1) are not taking paid employment whilst in the UK, and (2) do not stay longer than their permitted six months; and what assessment they have made of whether the system has been abused so far.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The use of e-Gates is a secure and efficient way of crossing the border. In addition to British and Irish citizens aged 12 and over, who can use e-Gates to enter the UK for any purpose, citizens aged 12 and over of the countries named in the Schedule to the Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) Order 2000, as amended, are eligible to seek entry to the UK using an e-Gate for the purpose of short visits. The list of countries can be found online under the ‘Amendment of the Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) Order 2000’ on the legislation.gov.uk website. We also operate the Registered Traveller service, where regular, compliant visitors to the UK and those with long term entry clearance can apply for membership which allows them to seek entry using an e-Gate once they have passed initial checks and been examined by a Border Force officer (BFO) on their next entry to the UK. The list of countries whose citizens are currently eligible to apply for membership of the RTS can be viewed on gov.uk In terms of preventing illegal working and overstaying those who enter using an e-Gate and go on to work illegally or overstay will be identified in the same way as those who are granted leave to enter by an entry clearance officer or BFO. We continue to monitor reports and trends of immigration abuse across the immigration system, including of illegal working and overstaying to ensure the immigration system continues to operate in the national interest.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have reviewed the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme; and if not, what plans they have to conduct such a review.

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they use to select individuals for resettlement under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to use the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme as a model for the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Government has committed to welcoming around 5,000 people in the first year of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) - and up to 20,000 over the coming years. The ACRS will be partly modelled on the successful Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), which resettled over 20,000 refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict, over a seven-year period from 2014 to 2021. Further information on the eligibility, prioritisation and referral of people for the ACRS is set out under the Afghanistan resettlement and immigration policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September The VPRS is now closed. The selection criteria used for the VPRS is replicated for the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), this information is available on gov.uk.Evaluation of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), and also the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme (VCRS), is ongoing. The UK Government’s strategy for evaluating the delivery and effectiveness of the VPRS and VCRS is outlined on gov.uk.The VPRS was also twice inspected by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, in 2018 and 2020, with a number of recommendations accepted and implemented. Details of the inspections, and report overviews can also be found on gov.uk.

David Amess

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to convene a meeting between the College of Policing and religious leaders following the murder of Sir David Amess MP.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Following the murder of Sir David Amess MP, the College of Policing and police leaders have welcomed engagement with faith, community leaders or others who have concerns about guidance for police officers related to the preservation and security of crime scenes, to understand their views and consider possible next steps on this issue. The Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick established a joint group to consider whether any changes are required to the guidance issued to officers faced with questions of access to crime scenes related to traumatic violence. The joint group has begun its work, led by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) lead for homicide investigation, Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy, and involving representatives from the Catholic Church, the College of Policing and relevant policing leads.

Organised Crime

Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the UK's cash network is not exploited by transnational organised crime groups.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The UK is internationally recognised as having some of the strongest controls worldwide for tackling money laundering (including through the use of cash) and bringing to justice those who seek to use or hide the proceeds of crime. These include Global Human Rights sanctions, Unexplained Wealth Orders, as well as our Economic Crime and Asset Recovery Action Plans.The Home Office continues to work with our partners across Government and Law Enforcement to bring together the policy and operational response to Cash Based Money Laundering under one umbrella, with the overall objective to make the UK a harder place for criminals to launder cash in and through the UK and deter the use of criminal cash.Economic crime knows no borders, and the actions that we take domestically need to be complemented at an international level. As noted in the Integrated Review and the new Atlantic Charter, we are working closely with the US to fight corruption and illicit finance. The UK-UAE Partnership to Tackle Illicit Financial Flows, recently announced by the Home Secretary, is another concrete example of joint international efforts to tackle the threat from dirty money and the serious and organised crime that it enables. We have capitalised on the UK's G7 Presidency to strengthen the global response to corruption and illicit finance to reduce the space to hide dirty money.

Northern Ireland Office

Prerogative of Mercy: Northern Ireland

Baroness Hoey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Royal Pardons have been issued to people in Northern Ireland in the last 25 years.

Lord Caine: The Royal Prerogative of Mercy (RPM) was used 16 times in relation to persons convicted and sentenced for terrorist offences in Northern Ireland between 2000 and 2002; seven times in 2000, six times in 2001, and three times in 2002. It was used to shorten (that is not waive or remove) sentences in relation to individuals who, for technical reasons, were not eligible for the early release scheme established under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998. The RPM was used once in 1998 and once in 1999 in non-terrorism related cases in Northern Ireland. In one case, an individual was granted the RPM following assistance that person gave to the authorities (reduction in sentence for such assistance is now provided for on a statutory basis under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005). In the other, the RPM was used to commute a portion of a sentence for a soldier who spent time under close military arrest for an offence prior to conviction. Had this person been a civilian, such time (equivalent to being on remand) would have been deducted from the sentence, but there was no statutory provision for this at the time in relation to close military arrest. Whilst the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is responsible for recommending the exercising of the RPM for terrorism-related cases in Northern Ireland, since the devolution of policing and justice in 2010, responsibility for making recommendations for the RPM in all other cases lies with the Minister of Justice in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Office does not hold complete records for 1996 or 1997 due to record retention policies.

Prerogative of Mercy: Northern Ireland

Baroness Hoey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish a list of names of all those who received a Royal Pardon in Northern Ireland in the last 25 years.

Lord Caine: There are no statutory requirements relating to the publication of pardons granted under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy (RPM).When it is used to shorten, rather than to waive or remove sentences, it is the convention of successive governments not to publish the use of the Royal Prerogative. Its use in Northern Ireland between 2000 and 2002 was in line with the early release scheme established under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998: the names of those who benefited from the early release scheme were also not published. The names of those who received the RPM in relation to terrorist convictions in Northern Ireland were made public in the judgement issued in the case of Rodgers [2014] NIQB 79.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Baroness Hoey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Supreme Court judgment on 13 May 2020 in the case of R vs Adams (Appellant) (Northern Ireland) which related to the validity of an interim custody order made in 1973, (1) whether compensation has been paid to Gerard Adams, and if so how much; (2) how many claims have been made by others to have their convictions overturned; (3) how many claims for compensation have been lodged with the Northern Ireland Office; and (4) how many of these have been settled and paid, and for what total amount.

Lord Caine: There has been no compensation paid to Gerard Adams relating to litigation against the Northern Ireland Office. There have been two other appeals to have convictions overturned that have been allowed. There are a further two who have filed applications for leave to appeal, which have not yet been dealt with. There are a number of internment-related civil claims against the Northern Ireland Office. The claims are asking for compensation on the basis of the claimants’ view that they were unlawfully detained on a similar basis to Mr Adams. None of these have been settled and the vast majority have not progressed far beyond the pre-action stage.

Treasury

Life Insurance: Foreign Companies

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government which organisation oversees firms which provide life insurance policies for persons in the UK.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) oversee firms which provide life insurance policies for those in the UK.The Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA), which is part of the Bank of England, promotes the safety and soundness of insurers, and the protection of policyholders. This includes arrangements for protecting customers in the event of an insurer failing, via the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates the conduct of insurers, as well as more broadly the integrity of the UK’s financial markets. The FCA also has an objective to secure an appropriate degree of protection for consumers.

Cryptocurrencies and Financial Services: Regulation

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to create a new regulatory framework for (1) crypto-asset regulation, and (2) open finance.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government launched a consultation on its regulatory approach to cryptoassets and stablecoins earlier this year. The government’s proposed approach would make sure cryptoassets known as stablecoins meet the same high standards we expect of other payment methods. The Government is considering responses and will outline next steps shortly. In relation to other forms of cryptoassets, the Government has taken a series of actions to protect consumers, ensure market integrity and support innovation. Last year the Government consulted on a proposal to bring certain cryptoassets into financial promotions regulation. This would ensure that relevant cryptoasset promotions are held to the same high standards for fairness, clarity and accuracy that exist in the financial services industry. The Government will issue its response shortly. The Government has also launched a new anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regime for cryptoassets. Regarding Open Finance, the Government recognises that increased data-sharing has the potential to offer significant benefits to consumers by improving access to products and services that better meet their needs. Following a consultation in September 2020, the Government announced plans to bring forward ‘Smart Data’ legislation to enable the Government to mandate data-sharing across sectors when Parliamentary time allows.

Small Businesses: Compensation

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of (1) resolved, and (2) settled, cases under the small business compensation scheme.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Business Banking Resolution Service (BBRS), which launched on 15 February 2021, offers a free, independent service which is designed to settle unresolved complaints that are not eligible for the FOS. The Government has always been clear that it welcomes the BBRS.However, it is an independent non-governmental body, and this independence is vital to its role. Its credibility, authority and value to SMEs would be undermined if it were possible for the Government to intervene in its decision-making or detailed operational matters. As a result of its independence, it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment on cases taken before the BBRS or potential changes that could be made to the BBRS and its eligibility criteria in future.

Gambling: Taxation

Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatestimate they have made of how much tax the Exchequer received from gambling-related activities in each of the last five years.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes statistics relating to gambling related activities for Corporation Tax, Betting and Gaming Duties and VAT. For Income Tax, information for gambling related activities is not available.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Gambling: Research

Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of problem gamblers in Great Britain; and what research they have undertaken to form this estimate.

Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of children in Great Britain who gamble regularly; and what research they have undertaken to form this estimate.

Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links: To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact assessments on the societal cost of problem gambling they have undertaken to inform their proposed white paper on gambling reform.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: As set out in Public Health England’s evidence review on gambling-related harms, the estimated problem gambling rate for England was 0.5% in 2018, or around 245,600 people, with figures drawn from the Health Survey. The most recent combined Health Survey figure for adults in Great Britain was 0.6%, or approximately 340,000 people, in 2016. To supplement the Health Surveys, the Gambling Commission carries out a quarterly survey by telephone which includes a shortened problem gambling screening. For the year to September 2021 this estimated a problem gambling rate of 0.3%.According to the Commission’s Young People and Gambling 2019 report, 11% of 11-16 year olds said they had spent their own money on gambling activities in the seven days prior to being surveyed. This was a reduction from 14% in 2018 and 23% in 2011.Public Health England’s evidence review also looked at the available evidence on the direct, indirect and intangible costs of gambling harm to society. It estimated an annual cost of approximately £1.27 billion associated with people who are problem or at-risk gamblers, including £619.2 million of intangible costs associated with suicide.

Social Media: Journalism

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce guidelines for social media companies on what counts as journalism in the Online Safety Bil.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The draft Online Safety Bill requires the highest risk, highest reach in-scope service providers (‘Category 1’ services) to safeguard journalistic content. This is defined as UK-linked content that is generated for the purposes of journalism. As part of this duty, Category 1 services must specify in their terms of service the method by which they identify content as being created for the purposes of journalism. In doing so, companies will be expected to consider the ordinary English meaning of journalism, the underlying purpose of protecting freedom of expression and information, and relevant case law. Ofcom, the online safety regulator, will produce codes of practice to assist companies in complying with their duties to protect journalism.

World Heritage Sites: Liverpool

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Liverpool losing its UNESCO World Heritage Status; and the reasons of UNESCO's decision.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The removal of Liverpool from the UNESCO World Heritage List is a matter of regret to Her Majesty’s Government. My predecessor worked closely with the Mayor of Liverpool and the City Council to defend its status. However, it was clear that, following the development within the site since it was placed on the UNESCO danger list in 2012, some members of the Committee were persuaded that the Outstanding Universal Value of the site had been diminished to the extent that they voted in favour of its removal from the list. The full stated reasons given for the decision of the World Heritage Committee are set out in the record of the meeting on UNESCO’s website.Despite the loss of Liverpool's World Heritage status, it remains a UNESCO City of Music, a beacon to the world for its culture and heritage, and a tourism destination for visitors from around the world.

Gambling

Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times (1) ministers, and (2) officials, from the department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport have met representatives of the gambling industry since June 2020; and what was the nature of those discussions.

Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times (1) ministers, and (2) officials, from the department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport have met representatives of the gambling reform groups or survivors of gambling harm (a) in person, and (b) through video call, since June 2020; and what was the nature of those discussions.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Ministers and officials have regular meetings with the industry and other gambling stakeholders to support ongoing work and policy development. There has also been a wide-ranging series of meetings to support the ongoing Gambling Act Review which was launched in December 2020 with a Call for Evidence.Records of ministerial meetings are published quarterly and are available on gov.uk. The meetings with the gambling industry and its representatives have covered a very wide range of issues, for instance the impact of Covid-19 closures on the land-based industry and the measures the Government was taking to support the economy, measures the industry is taking to make gambling safer, and industry evidence on the Act Review. A number of these have also been introductory meetings with new Ministers.Officials in the gambling policy team have had around sixty meetings with industry in that period covering the above topics, particularly the impact of Covid-19, and also other areas such as animal welfare in horse and greyhound racing, the implications of Brexit and supply chain disruption, and delivery of previous commitments made by industry, such as the £100m to support treatment over four years.Ministers have met a wide range of non-industry gambling stakeholders over the same period. This has included six meetings with gambling harm campaign groups or people with personal experience of gambling harm (including roundtables with many individuals or organisations present), thirteen meetings with parliamentarians campaigning for reform, and three meetings with gambling researchers and education and treatment providers. We do not have a record of which meetings were conducted remotely or in person.Officials in the gambling policy team have had over one hundred further meetings with non-industry gambling related stakeholders since June 2020. This has included eleven with campaign groups or people with personal experience, thirty three with those working primarily on gambling research, seven with those primarily related to gambling harm education, seventeen with treatment providers for gambling related harm, and three meetings with think-tanks. Many of these meetings were in connection with the Gambling Act Review, discussing individuals’ or groups' priorities and the evidence they presented.

Ministry of Justice

Gambling: Death

Baroness Davidson of Lundin Links: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deaths related to gambling harm were recorded in Great Britain in each of the last five years.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The Ministry of Justice publishes annual coroner statistics which include all short form and narrative conclusions such as accident or misadventure, open and suicide.However, the statistics do not include the motivating factor behind the deaths as it is beyond the coroner’s jurisdiction to determine why someone died. The coroner’s statutory role is limited to determining the identity of the deceased; how, when and where they died; and any information needed to register the death.

Prison Sentences

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people are in prison serving (1) a life sentence, (2) an Extended Determinate Sentence, and (3) an Imprisonment for Public Protection sentence, by ethnicity.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The number of prisoners serving Extended Determinate Sentences, Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences, and Life sentences, by ethnicity, as at 30 September 2021, in England and Wales, is shown in the following table:  Extended Determinate SentenceImprisonment for Public ProtectionLife SentenceAsian or Asian British36584591Black or Black British7942161,187Mixed30866356Other ethnic group83571White4,7001,2854,738Not stated15320Unrecorded928Note: These figures do not include recalled prisoners Data sources and qualityThe figures in this table have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Source: Prison NOMIS Statistics on the ethnicity of the prison population are routinely published as part of the quarterly Offender Management Statistics on Gov.uk - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly

Prisoners: Mental Health

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) men, and (2) women, have been assessed by the screening tool for psychological maturity in each year since 2017 for every prison in England and Wales.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: HM Prison and Probation Service use a system called the Offender Assessment System (OASys) for assessing the risks and needs of an offender. The system is designed to assess how likely an offender is to re-offend, identify offending-related needs, and assess the risk of serious harm and risks to the individual and the community. It also links the assessment to the supervision or sentence plan, along with any indication of the need for further specialist assessments, including changes during the period of supervision.Automatic screening data is held on the segmentation tool for those young adult men aged up to 25 who have a full OASys assessment completed. This does not include data for anyone without a full OASys, on remand, or aged over 25. There is not currently any maturity screening available for women.Records for screening are held locally – there is no national system that collates the data. Data is only available from 2019 to present as the tool was not launched until July 2019. 89% of prisons holding young adults are currently using the screening tool.The table below shows the data on the numbers of prisoners who have been screened as having low psychosocial maturity. These figures are not cumulative, but representative of the population on that date. YearPopulation of young adult malesPopulation which could be assessed (those with a full OASYs)Number screened as having low psychosocial maturity31/03/201914,716Not available8,85631/03/202015,34010,4456,40031/03/202113,6959,0855,875